Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-17
Savannah's Harbor and the War
Department.


Department.
Has the War Department spite
against savannah II 1t hasn't it is diff
tlcuit to understand the delay in ordering
the survey for twenty-eight feet Of water
in her har50r which mas been authorized
by Congress, and tor which money has
been appropriated. IL Savannah were
little, Insignificant, one-horse town with
no commerce and little prospect OF any,
the Indifference OF the War
Department TO her needs would
be perhaps excusable, but being
next to the largest cotton port in tho
country, the largest naval stores market
in the world, and the most import
ant seaport on the South Atlantic
coast, 1t looks as Il the delay
were caused by something else than in
difference. Can 1t be possible that there
are influences at work to check SaVan-
nah's growing Importance because she
threatens to seriously interfere with the
plans and schemes Of those whose inter-
ests are In other dlrections. An effort
should be made to discover whether there
4
business men cannot afford to remain
passive while the chances for obtaining
that upon which the city must depend
for prosperity-deepw water tofhe sea-sre
being destroyed.
Do the people of this city know how I'M
pOrtant It is that this survey shall be or
dered at once? They do not seem TO, or
hau Lrn .
for those who are responsible for the de-
lay. s.f
The situation Is this II the survey is
not completed and the estimates fur
nished by the close OF the present fiscal
year, June 80, there will be little or no
chance for getting an appropriation for
the deep water improvements In the next
river and harbor bill, whether the bill is
framed at an extra session or at the next
regular session. The bill Is based upon
the estimates furnished by the War De.
partment, and the estimates are made up
at the close Of the fiscal year. 1t Is
impossible to make the survey in less
than three months, aud it may take four
II it is ordered at once, therefore, it can
not be much more than finished in time
to secure an appropriation at the regular
session. If il is delayed much longer it
will be impossible, perhaps, to complete
1t at all before late next fall, because
men cannot be obtained to tramp about
in the rice fields and marshes along the
river in the burning heat of the summers
sun. Ifthey could be obtained they would
a. h,,, l. H.
wages, and even then they could not do
as much in two days as they could in one
now.
But there is another and a still greater
danger in delay. The appropriation for
surveys is in lump sum, and a large
humber of surveys have been authorized
BY Congress-. 1t is not more than hall
enough to meet the cost of all of them. The
War Department is ordering surveys to
be made all the time, and the appropria-
tIon may be exhausted before the one for
the Savannah harbor is ordered. In that
case who can tell when there Will be
another?
No Improvement can be begun without
survey. If the present opportunity is
lost, therefore, it may be years before
anything is done to give savan nah's har-
Dor IS feet TO the sea.
Savannah will be ignored if she doesn't
demand the recognition to which she is
entitled. Other places refuse to be put
of and pushed aside, and they get what
they want. Savannah must do as they
do. Sae must fight for her rights or she
VIII get very badly left.